Winter is coming. Why exercise? Why now?

Posted on September 7, 2020September 9, 2020 by Sol

Winter is coming. Why exercise? Why now?

With a second wave of COVID on the horizon, now is the time to get into that winter exercise routine. As we move into the fall and temperatures drop, many of us will be forsaking our daily quarantine walks and wondering how we will make it through the winter. If you have been healthy, it’s time to lock down your exercise routine and recommit to yourself. So, let’s use this fall as your time to honour your goals.

Starting from what feels like from scratch can be daunting, but here are some things to keep in mind:

Forget about numbers

Some people have lost weight during this pandemic, others have gained. In the end, it doesn’t matter. If there was ever a time to ditch the scale, it’s now. You don’t need some artificial set of numbers driving your output and your effort. Every workout that you participate in means that you aren’t sick and are healthy enough to be exerting effort. Whether it’s a walk with a friend or an all-out sweaty virtual power yoga session, the time you put in is your time.

Focus on what you like

Forget about what you “should” be doing. Now is not the time to try boxing if you prefer a low impact weight session. But winter exercise can be a time to experiment. Maybe you’ve always wanted to try a boot camp class but were too afraid of looking like a complete novice. Take advantage of at home apps and classes to find something new. There is a bonus to learning on your own — you don’t have to compare yourself to anyone. You can play, replay, slow down, or speed through routines until you find one you like.

Exercise makes you happy

You may hate it when you’re in the middle of a workout, but science tells us that exercise relieves pain and stress. Physical activity also stimulates the release of dopamine, endorphins, norepinephrine, and serotonin. These brain chemicals play an important part in regulating your mood. With all this uncertainty, who couldn’t use a brain boost right now?

Exercise builds community

When I opened TrainingSpaces over two years ago, I knew this wasn’t going to be an ordinary studio. I was passionate and focused on inclusion. I strongly believe that no matter your size, background, or experience, exercise is for everyone. Just showing up makes you an athlete — and every single person who walks through the doors of TrainingSpaces is valued. Clients and trainers alike, we are all striving towards our own goals. In this time where we’ve seen so much isolation, anxiety, and depression, having a safe space where you can work out is essential. Seeing a friendly, supportive face is what so many of us need right now.

I hope to see you back either in the studio or hear about your successes as you continue to train virtually with your trainer.

Is it authentic, or just manufactured influencers? Be wary of ‘advice’ contrived via social media

Posted on March 30, 2020March 29, 2020 by Sol

social media influencers / Image source: appinstitute.com

Is it authentic, or just a manufactured influencer? Be wary of ads contrived via social media

This post originally appeared April 29, 2019.

If you are engaged in social media, and especially Instagram, you are probably familiar with the power of influencers. These are ordinary people, just like you and me, who lovingly curate their feeds with inspirational photos of their meals, exercise routines, glorious sunrises, and breathtaking sunsets. They tag their posts with #blessed, #fitspo, and #empowered — and offer us all a slice of a more perfect life. It can be fun to thumb through the feeds of people of all shapes and sizes living their best lives and offering us that push that we can do it too.

Influencers can be found in all corners of the online fitness social communities. From trainers to fit-at-any-size marathoners to mothers entering their first weightlifting competitions, social media has given voice to those who might not fit the stereotype of a typical fitness devotee.

Recently, high levels of Instagram user engagement have given companies an opportunity to capitalize on users with thousands of followers.These Instagram ads, for which influencers can be paid an estimated $1,000 per 100,000 followers, are selling not just a product but an entire lifestyle. They also might be selling bad fitness and diet-related advice.

9 out of 10 patients look to influencers and online communities when making health and wellness decisions. 94% of people share influencer-driven health information with others.

But let’s think about the reality of these influencers. Are they qualified to provide wellness advice? Or are they motivated by a desire to promote certain products or simply to further their personal brands? Because sponcon (sponsored content) can be positioned alongside other posts, it can be difficult to separate the paid ads from the personal stories.

As you scroll through different feeds, keep an eye out for these paid promotions masquerading as solid lifestyle advice. Because influencers are more likely to be ordinary people and not celebrities, they are more valuable to sponsors and appear more trustworthy. Having 100,000 followers does not make you a fitness expert. It does not make you a qualified trainer or a nutritionist. What it makes you is a person with beautiful photos and a performance of authenticity that appeals to your followers.

Before you take advice from anyone you follow on social media, take a moment to evaluate this advice. Is there a prominent brand name dominating the caption? Could these before and after photos be altered in any way? Are you taking advice from influencers you would never even consider if it came from your best friend, a neighbour, or a casual acquaintance?

If you said answered “yes” to any of these questions, maybe it’s time to click “unfollow”.

If the shoe fits, wear it out: what to look for in athletic shoes

Posted on February 17, 2020February 16, 2020 by Sol

If the shoe fits, wear it out: what to look for in athletic shoes

When we think about workout gear, we like to make sure that it’s durable, supportive, and appropriate for the activity. But what about your shoes? For many of us, we have a designated pair of shoes that lives at the gym and only comes out for workouts. But how do you know when it’s time to say goodbye to those shoes? Do your shoes need to be falling apart before you replace them?

When judging if it’s time to consider buying new athletic shoes, you need to consider how often you use them, where you use them, and what they are used for. Here are some tips to help you decide if you need a new pair…and what to look for when you’re facing a rack of identical kicks.

Running

Average lifespan: 6 months

When should I get a new pair?

You can estimate your shoe lifespan by the distance you run and where you run. A shoe that’s being used outside in the elements will have a different lifespan from one that lives on the treadmill. If you find your shoes have less response on surface contact, there are visible signs of wear on the sole, and the upper part covering your foot is showing signs of breaking down, it’s time to invest.

What should I look for in a new pair?

Running shoes are designed for cushioning and to disperse forces upon landing. Look for shoes with a good cushion and a heel rise that is slightly higher than the toes to facilitate forward motion.

Weightlifting

Average lifespan: 1 year

When should I get a new pair?

Your weightlifting shoes have to be able to properly support your form. The upper part of the shoe will be the first to demonstrate wear, losing rigidity and offering less support.

What should I look for in a new pair?

Weightlifting shoes have a raised heel which allows you to squat into a deeper position through increased ankle range of motion. Weightlifting shoes are also more stable than your typical barefoot or minimalist shoe. This ensures you have a strong and consistent base to land on, push through, and push out into.

General Gym Activities

Average lifespan: 6 months

When should I get a new pair?

From jumps to lunges to squats to your treadmill warmup, your gym shoes do a lot of work. Lateral movements and weight-bearing steps also decrease the stability of your gym shoes. Usually the front or the side of the shoe are the first to show signs of wear. If you are seeing holes, it’s time to replace them.

What should I look for in a new pair?

A shoe with a basic cushion is all you need. An ankle cut shoe will support your foot as you go through your routine. This allows for maximum flexibility without compromising stability.

Take care of your shoes to make them last and remember that function should always come before fashion when purchasing athletic shoes.

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Feeling the squeeze: the benefits of compression sportswear

Posted on February 3, 2020February 6, 2020 by Sol

Compression leggings / Image source: The Sports Edit

Feeling the squeeze: the benefits of compression sportswear

Many of us have a couple of outfits that we regularly wear to exercise and will rotate depending on the activity. Maybe you have a favourite top that stays in place during your downward dog or a pair of socks that gives you extra support on longer runs. And we don’t really consider how our clothing can help us achieve our fitness goals.

If you aren’t familiar with compression sport clothing, it’s time to learn about how these specialty design products may elevate our workouts.

Compression garments are skin-tight, yet flexible clothing made of supportive fabric like Spandex and Lycra. It is graded in its tightness to ease blood flow, it features wicking properties to reduce sweat pooling and keep you warm, whilst still allowing freedom of movement. Compression sportswear molds to your body to prevent the oscillation of the muscle during impact and increasing blood flow to the area. This is thought to prevent energy waste and assist in alignment. Additionally, the increase of blood flow ensures muscles are receiving a constant supply of oxygen, which helps sustain performance or enhance recovery.

Benefits of compression sportswear gear have been reported to include a reduction in muscle fatigue and soreness, faster recovery, reduction of swelling, improvement of blood flow, muscle strain prevention, skin protection, improved joint stabilization and muscle alignment, an increase in agility, and regulating body temperature.

That’s a lot to put on a pair of tights or a long-sleeved top … but is it true? Well, yes and no.

While there have not been conclusive studies on compression garments, and much of the evidence is with small groups of people or anecdotal, studies do exist that show the benefits of oxygen uptake to working muscles. There is also a small amount of research documenting how compression wear has reduced blood lactate levels after workouts.

And then, there’s our old friend the placebo effect. Any perceived performance improvements may be a result in how you feel wearing compression gear. Because you feel supported, you allow yourself to squat deeper or run longer. As we know, so much about exercise is mental rather than physical. Compression sportswear garments can stop the voices of self-doubt in your head and that’s a benefit we can all embrace.

Compression clothing is more expensive than what you’ll find in trendy workout stores or on the rack at Winners so you need to decide if it’s actually worth investing in a few key pieces to supplement your wardrobe. If you feel like a $150 pair of leggings is out of your budget (and for many of us it is), check the sale sections on websites like EC3D Sports or 2XU. You will be able to order last season’s products at a discount and make a decision if they are right for you.

If you have a race or big event coming up that will require extra support, a mental boost, and a speedier recovery, it might be time to treat yourself. After all, you don’t need to worry about hiking up your shorts as you dash through an obstacle at Tough Mudder. Just make sure that you have an opportunity to take your purchase on a test drive first to ensure that you like its fit and feel.

Let’s never do that again: a decade of bad decisions

Posted on December 30, 2019December 29, 2019 by Sol

Let's never do that again: a decade of bad decisions

As the 2010s come to a close, itu2019s easy for us to look back on the way we lived. In the present, the decisions we made in the past can be questionable u2014 especially when it comes to advice about health and wellness.

Ah, wellness. Thereu2019s a word weu2019re going to ban from our vocabulary the moment the clock strikes midnight on New Yearu2019s Eve.

While u201cwellnessu201d may have started the decade as a way of optimizing our fitness routines, exploring alternatives cures, and investing in self-care, it has bloomed into a pseudoscience that promotes the myths of the diet industry. In the eyes of wellness, we need to invest large sums of money into dangerous, unproven cures and techniques that look great on social media and do nothing for our bodies. The wellness industry, from essential oils to extreme diets, prioritizes thinness as an outward display of health.

In the final days of 2019, letu2019s say NO to the irresponsible trends of the past decade.

But if we are rejecting so much, what should we be embracing? Here are some suggestions:

Nobodyu2019s life magically changes at the stroke of midnight and weu2019re all trying to get better. Letu2019s make positive steps by removing lies, hype, and hatred from how we get healthy this year and celebrate that we have as we get stronger, smarter, and kinder in the new year.

We Wish You a Merry Fit-Mas — 2019 Edition

Posted on December 9, 2019February 2, 2020 by Sol

We Wish You a Merry Fit-Mas — 2019 Edition

Last year we provided you with some fitness gift guidance as we headed into the holidays. Here’s our revised list as you prepare to pick up presents for your loved ones.

Tech gadgets

Nobody ever unwraps fitness technology and asks for a gift receipt. There are so many options available for the tech-loving fitness buff in your life. From smart watches to clip-on trackers, these devices track data and allow you to see trends.

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So, there’s our annual rundown of fitness-inspired gifts to keep everyone happy and healthy well into 2020!

Newsletter subscribers: We’ve been experiencing some technical difficulties. Please bear with us, and accept our apologies for any inconvenience.

There are predators in the fitness industry. Who knew?

Posted on December 2, 2019December 9, 2019 by Sol

Bikram Chowdhury / publicity image from Bikram: Yogi, Guru, Predator (2019)

There are predators in the fitness industry. Who knew?

So, Bikram, right?

Over the past two weeks, I’ve had a number of clients ask me if I watched the documentary “Bikram: Yoga. Guru. Predator” which is currently streaming on Netflix. It’s a cautionary tale of worshipping false idols, extreme capitalism, and enabling the wrongdoings of a predator in exchange for career advancement. The film is eye-opening for some and recycled history for others.

I’ve previously written about yoga and the challenges it is currently facing. From the consumer culture that surrounds a yoga lifestyle to the measures studios are taking to ensure consent in a silent practice, yoga is changing. Podcasts like Yoga is Dead are exploring the toxicity that surrounds yoga from its appropriation by white women to the strict veganism that practically enforces eating disorders. Yoga is having its own reckoning, prompted by questioning devotees who are asking how this solitary form of reflection is now being marketed as a calorie-burning efficient exercise to tone and sculpt.

I actually attended one of Bikram’s classes years ago when I was in Los Angeles. Clad in that tiny speedo and weighed down by that huge Rolex, I joined other devotees in the Hollywood Bowl as he ran us through the set exercises. Starting every single sentence with “the problem with you Americans” and displaying more megalomania than I initially thought humanly possible, the 90-minutes was a sweaty ego-filled circus. I was bemused but others were entranced.

As a trainer, I know that different people respond to different approaches. There are those who want me to be a drill sergeant and those who expect me to be a supportive therapist. Over the years I’ve learned that cruelty is not synonymous with authority or expertise. I can think of other popular fitness gurus, (Jillian Michaels, anyone?) who have built their entire identity and success on a tough-love persona. The idea that you need to break someone down and then build them up to achieve results has more to do with the trainer than their students. They want to be seen as the only person who can create results. They want to be idolized and admired for being the single truth teller in a sea of complicity. And they do this by using their ego to manipulate their followers.

Until something breaks. Maybe they let their podcast audience know that it’s okay for a pregnant woman to have a glass of wine with dinner or encourage them to reject antidepressants because they cause weight gain. Maybe they pay special attention to the young women in their class and touch them inappropriately under the guise of an adjustment. Predators and bullies are everywhere and it’s up to you to detach yourself from them the moment you feel uncomfortable. If their behaviour is criminal, then report it. If it’s foolish then unsubscribe.

We all have the power to take care of ourselves and others. We don’t need investigative journalists and documentarians to confirm that icky feeling. If something feels wrong, it probably is. This journey is about self-improvement and self-presentation, so don’t fall under the spell of someone who fails on all accounts.

Fat-shaming response to Nike’s plus-size mannequins shows just how far we still have to go

Posted on July 1, 2019July 1, 2019 by Sol

Nike plus-size mannequins on display in London / Image source: allure.com

Fat-shaming response to Nike’s plus-size mannequins shows just how far we still have to go

It’s been almost a month since London’s flagship Nike store unveiled its new mannequins. Displayed alongside more traditional ones, the new mannequins showcase Nike’s plus-size clothing line. Nike, unlike a number of mainstream fitness brands, carries a range of sizes from XS (0-2) to XL (14-16). As the average American woman wears a size 16, it is more necessary than ever to provide all body types with stylish, flexible, high-quality exercise wear.

However, not everyone celebrated the unveiling of the new mannequins as a sign of progress, inclusivity, and acceptance of body diversity. In an editorial published in the Telegraph, a columnist berated Nike’s move as delusional. She went on to shame the mannequin and make dangerous assumptions about health. Because I don’t want to contribute to the many clicks this article has already received, I will not directly name the so-called journalist or include a link. If you want to be disappointed in humanity, all you need to do is google “Nike mannequins Telegraph.”

Should we be surprised that this opinion exists? Not really. It’s just one of many negative voices that athletes who do not conform to traditional sizes and shapes have come to expect when they look for clothing that fits properly, offers enough coverage and support, and looks great. From athletic-wear CEOs casually saying their clothing isn’t for all women to incredible female athletes being criticized for what they wear to compete, the athletic-wear industry is a battleground. With the rise of athleisure, casual clothing designed to be worn both for exercising and general use, it is more critical than ever that companies embrace body diversity if they want to make profits and set trends.

While so many amazing women of all sizes have shattered the assumptions that there is a specific size and shape for an athlete, the idea that only certain types of people should even participate in exercise is pervasive in our culture. Yes, it is changing — but progress is slow.

As much as we may not want to admit it, many of us are still prisoner to this idea that overweight means unhealthy. Our society still looks at BMI as an easy way to classify and put people into groups. We look at the outward presentation of thinness and the numbers on the scale instead (link to How to Measure Your Progress) of celebrating our own accomplishments every time we lace up our running shoes.

The truth is that we all need to stop making generalizations about health and even berating ourselves for what we look like instead of what we can achieve. There are slender people who pass cardio benchmarks effortlessly. However, there are larger people running marathons and achieving the perfect balance of healthy and unhealthy cholesterol. Being limited by out-of-date biases will only keep us hating ourselves and reinforcing negativity. Change is slow, but if we want to all move towards acceptance and kindness, we need to start with ourselves.

TrainingSpaces is marking its one-year anniversary!

Posted on May 1, 2019May 1, 2019 by Sol

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TrainingSpaces is marking its one-year anniversary!

Today marks a year since TrainingSpaces opened its doors for business.

It was always our dream to create a place that redefined what makes a fitness studio special. We didn’t do it with scented towels or fancy lighting schemes. We focused on quality, inclusion, and community, and built a space that was right for everyone.

We started with just empty space. Then we installed special flooring, a sound system, a Wifi network, and state-of-the-art fitness equipment.

We started with two trainers. Since then, we’ve grown to a roster of 13 trainers with dozens of clients, putting in hours of training seven days a week. From weight loss to strength training and flexibility, all goals and fitness levels are celebrated. We have also been able to offer group classes, bodywork, specialized stretching, diet counselling, and bellydance. Whatever the approach, TrainingSpaces continues to redefine the boundaries of wellness.

We have a growing Instagram presence and our own YouTube channel. Our mailing list continues to add subscribers every week. And we’re boosting traffic to our website and climbing the search-engine rankings with weekly blog updates.

Not bad for one year.

But it wouldn’t be possible without you — our trainers, our clients, and our readers.

And if you thought Year One was a good start, there’s much more to accomplish in Year Two.

Join us and let’s see where the next year takes us!

Is it authentic, or just a manufactured influencer? Be wary of ‘advice’ contrived via social media

Posted on April 29, 2019April 29, 2019 by Sol

Is it authentic, or just a manufactured influencer? Be wary of ads contrived via social media

9 out of 10 patients look to influencers and online communities when making health and wellness decisions. 94% of people share influencer-driven health information with others.

If you said answered “yes” to any of these questions, maybe it’s time to click “unfollow”.